Archie is ten years old when his Uncle Colin gives him his scrapbook. Shortly afterward, World War I erupts and Archie uses it to reflect on news from the front. The fictional narrator also includes his own illustrations and reproductions of postcards, letters, flyers, and more. Through Archie’s scrapbook, readers get a glimpse of the impact of the war on British families, from enduring air raids and food shortages to anxiously awaiting letters from soldiers at the front. The endpapers echo the scrapbook theme. Included is a short glossary of terms. Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. nlh

Originally published by Walker Books Great Britain, in 2007.

Marcia Williams captures the Great War through a child’s eyes with a fascinating fictional scrapbook including real mementos of the day.

Meet ten-year-old Archie, his family, and best friend in a scrapbook Archie has made himself, full of comic strips and plenty of other memorabilia. The year is 1914, and as the Great War begins, Archie’s scrapbook reflects the war’s impact on his life and on those who write back from the front. Marcia Williams retains her humor and energy as she employs a new collage style to present an intimate and compelling view of the First World War and its era.